Red Bull GRC 2017 Season Preview: Colin Braun

2016 IN REVIEW: When CORE autosport made its GRC Lites debut in Daytona, the expectation was to make the final; Braun shattered those expectations with an immediate podium in his first rallycross start. In fact, he took three of them in six tries last year—posting a better percentage than even Lites champion Cabot Bigham or runner-up Oliver Eriksson, The other two came in Atlantic City and Los Angeles, both of which return to this year’s schedule later in the season.

WHAT’S NEW: A little more seat time. Braun will run the majority of this year’s schedule, looking to recapture the form that had him at the front of the pack so frequently in 2016. His schedule totals nine rounds, giving him nine chances to take his first points-paying Red Bull GRC victory—whether it’s in a heat round or main event. It was one of the few accomplishments that Braun and his teammates didn’t check off in 2016, but should be well within his reach in 2017.

OUTLOOK: Someone get this man in a Supercar, stat! Braun has already proven himself to be one of the racing world’s most multi-talented drivers from his time in both sports and stock cars, but he started from scratch with rallycross and adapted brilliantly from the get-go. If he and CORE make the move up to the top class in 2018, they’ll take the fight fairly heavily to the top teams. Until then, the Texan and his team will keep lighting up the Lites scoreboard in 2017.